Implantable medical device with secure connection to an external instrument

Abstract

An implantable medical device (IMD) that includes a transceiver configured to broadcast an advertising data packet that includes a unique identifier, and to receive a scan request data packet from an external device. A memory stores program instructions, and stores an approved device list, and one or more processors are configured to execute the program instructions to identify a device identifier (ID) from the scan request data packet received, apply an advertising filter to determine if the scan request data packet is from an authorized external device based on the device ID and the approved device list, based on the determination by the advertising filter, deny transmission of a scan response data packet from the transceiver when the advertising filter determines that the scan request data packet is from an unauthorized external device, and establish a communication session with an authorized external device independent of the scan request data packet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An implantable medical device (IMD), comprising:
 a transceiver, within the IMD, configured to broadcast an advertising data packet;   the transceiver is further configured to receive a scan request data packet from an external device;   memory, within the IMD, configured to store program instructions and a list of approved external device identifiers (IDs); and   one or more processors, within the IMD, configured to execute the program instructions to:
 identify an identifier (ID) of the external device from the received scan request data packet; 
 apply an advertising filter to determine if the scan request data packet is from an authorized external device based on the ID of the external device and the list of approved external device IDs; 
 based on the determination by the advertising filter, deny transmission of a scan response data packet from the transceiver when the advertising filter determines that the scan request data packet is from an unauthorized external device; and 
 establish a communication session with an authorized external device independent of the scan request data packet. 
   
     
     
         2 . The IMD of  claim 1 , wherein the transceiver is further configured to receive a connection request data packet from the authorized external device based on the advertising data packet. 
     
     
         3 . The IMD of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to execute the program instruction to:
 establish the communication session with the authorized external device based on the connection request data packet from the authorized external device.   
     
     
         4 . The IMD of  claim 2 , wherein, before receiving the connection request data packet, the one or more processors are configured to receive the scan request data packet and apply the advertising filter to determine whether to deny transmission of the scan response data packet. 
     
     
         5 . The IMD of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to execute the program instructions to:
 responsive to receiving a device identification request related to the connection request data packet, transmit a unique identifier related to the IMD to the authorized external device.   
     
     
         6 . The IMD of  claim 1 , wherein the transceiver is configured to receive a connection request data packet from the authorized external device for a pre-determined interval after broadcast of the advertising data packet. 
     
     
         7 . The IMD of  claim 6 , wherein the predetermined interval is less than ten seconds. 
     
     
         8 . The IMD of  claim 1 , wherein the IMD is one of a cardiac monitoring device, pacemaker, cardioverter, cardiac rhythm management device, defibrillator, neurostimulator, leadless monitoring device, or leadless pacemaker. 
     
     
         9 . The IMD of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors includes a communication control processor that operates the transceiver to communicate with the authorized external device using one or more wireless communication protocols. 
     
     
         10 . The IMD of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more wireless communication protocols include a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) protocol, and the advertising filter represents a BLE link layer advertising filter. 
     
     
         11 . The IMD of  claim 1 , wherein the advertising filter does not block connection requests. 
     
     
         12 . A method, the method comprising:
 broadcasting an advertising data packet, from an implantable medical device (IMD), utilizing a communication protocol;   receiving a scan request data packet from an external device at a transceiver of the IMD;   determining an identifier (ID) of the external device from the recieved scan request data packet;   applying an advertising filter to determine if the scan request data packet is from an authorized external device;   based on the determination by the advertising filter, denying transmission of a scan response data packet from the transceiver when the advertising filter determines that the scan request data packet is from an unauthorized external device;   receiving the advertising data packet including the unique identifier at the authorized external device; and   transmitting a connection request data packet from the authorized external device based on the unique identifier of the advertising data packet.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 wherein the applying includes determining if the scan request data packet is from the authorized external device based on the ID of the external device and an approved device list stored on the IMD, wherein the advertising filter does not block connection requests.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 receiving the connection request data packet at the IMD from the authorized external device; and   establishing the communication session between the IMD and authorized external device based on the connection request data packet.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 responsive to receiving the connection request data packet, transmitting a unique identifier related to the IMD from the IMD to the authorized external device.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein applying the advertising filter to determine if the scan request data packet is from an authorized external device based on the device ID and the approved device list includes comparing the device ID to device identifiers of authorized external devices on the approved device list. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the only identifier on the approved device list is the unique identifier of the IMD. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein a communication control processor operates the transceiver of the IMD to communicate with the authorized external device using one or more wireless communication protocols. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more wireless communication protocols include a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) protocol, and the advertising filter is applied at a BLE link layer. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the IMD is one of a cardiac monitoring device, pacemaker, cardioverter, cardiac rhythm management device, defibrillator, neurostimulator, leadless monitoring device, or leadless pacemaker. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the advertising filter does not block connection requests. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising receiving a connection request data packet after the scan request data packet is received and after the advertising filter is applied to determine whether to deny transmission of a scan response data packet.